I don't consider Stan Smyl to be any more "classy" then Bure. The guy is as stupid as a sack of hammers. I almost feel sorry for him every time I see him speak publicly. Bure did what any sensible person being abused by thier employeer would do, he went to look for another one.

As for Bure not doing anything after he left vancouver...

In his first full season (74 games) he lead the league in goal scoring by 15 goals with 58. In a season when nobody else scored 45, he scored 58 in 74 games. In the next season, he scored 59 goal again leading the league in goals. He did this on a Florida team that had for all practical purposes no center.

Bure may very well be the most naturally gifted goal scorer in league history. Its a real shame the way his career wound up, because in a different circumstance he could very well have been the first player to score 100 goals in a season.

Don't forget he was only 2 points back of Jagr for the art ross one season.

"I think my biggest influence has been Messier."Watching him prepare for games and how seriously he still took everything at his age. A lot of the qualities that he had helped me get better."- Markus Naslund

cerios wrote:I don't consider Stan Smyl to be any more "classy" then Bure. The guy is as stupid as a sack of hammers. I almost feel sorry for him every time I see him speak publicly. Bure did what any sensible person being abused by thier employeer would do, he went to look for another one.

Abused? What exactly are you talking about? He was one of the higher paid players in the league, adored by fans and his team.

Bure may very well be the most naturally gifted goal scorer in league history.

*cough* Lemieux *cough*

Its a real shame the way his career wound up, because in a different circumstance he could very well have been the first player to score 100 goals in a season.

Meerschaum wrote:When somebody else breaks Tiger Williams' record for leading the team in both goals and penalties, then we can talk about that player being the "greatest Canuck".

Bure? Naslund? Linden?

Yeah, they've collected a few points in their day. But could they have gone toe-to-toe with Tiger?

I think not.

Williams by a K.O.

Williams couldn't take a Bure elbow.

"I think my biggest influence has been Messier."Watching him prepare for games and how seriously he still took everything at his age. A lot of the qualities that he had helped me get better."- Markus Naslund

cerios wrote:
As for Bure not doing anything after he left vancouver...

In his first full season (74 games) he lead the league in goal scoring by 15 goals with 58. In a season when nobody else scored 45, he scored 58 in 74 games. In the next season, he scored 59 goal again leading the league in goals. He did this on a Florida team that had for all practical purposes no center.

Bure may very well be the most naturally gifted goal scorer in league history. Its a real shame the way his career wound up, because in a different circumstance he could very well have been the first player to score 100 goals in a season.

I acknowledged that Bure had two great years after leaving the Canucks but the point is that the vast majority of his great playing years came with the Canucks because soon after he was taken down by injuries. It really is a shame how his career ended. What, did he play 20 games with the Rangers or something? I don't even remember if he played at all in the playoffs with Florida or NY.

The point is, Pavel Bure is clearly more identifiable as a Vancouver Canuck than a Florida Panther, or *aghast* a New York Ranger.

By the way, what's up with your pic JamesOwnzSam11? Why would any Canuck fan have a picture of Messier hoisting the cup as a Ranger????????? I mean, it's fine if you like the guy but that's probably one of the most painful memories in Canuck history. Just seems odd to me, to say the least.

Abused? What exactly are you talking about? He was one of the higher paid players in the league, adored by fans and his team.

I dunno maybe the fact that he was owed a years salary and the Canucks despite admitting at the time they owed the money to Bure refused to pay him? How about the the dozen times that Bure was accused of ludicrous things that were clearly untrue in retrospect that the team never said a word in defense of him? How about the fact that he asked for a trade to be made quietly then went out and worked his ass off like he always did for almost a year and a half in order not to tie the hands of the team that had screwed him over time and again?

Bure was easily the most abused sports superstar I have ever even conceived of, its insane the way he was treated here.

*cough* Lemieux *cough*

While I consider Mario to be the most purely gifted hockey player (and maybe athlete period) of all time I don't know if I would put him with Bure for the pure purpose of goal scoring, however I will point out that I put perhaps as I would also consider Mario, Bossy, Wayne, and Esposito as major contenders for that crown.

I really doubt that.

Bure in the mid 80's with a decent centermen could very well have hit 100 goals. I can't think of another player that had what Bure had, he was simply a significantly better version of Lafluer.